Along the shoreline
by Asuhole
Summary: Rin made the mistake to befriend not just one merman, but two.
1. Two is better than one

Settle the reading format as 1/2 for a better reading experience.

Notice that I have no knowledge of mermaids/men, and it is all something I make up along the way.

Notes: Merman au, Polymary.

Enjoy.

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><p>Rin made the mistake to befriend not just one merman, but two.<p>

The encounter with the unknown happened as he was walking along a coast wearing only but a pair of loose khaki pants. The jewelry bound around his ankle had jiggled for each step he took, and the air had smelled like the ocean.

Everything seemed to turn out as the average.

Rin, a free time angler, would do his deeds and aimed to get to his little vigorous valley in the forest close to his hometown, where the further away and to the outer skirts of the forest one reached, the more you would be able to get glimpses of exotic coasts untouched by other individuals.

However, when he had reached his favored secluded area where he earlier on had settled a fishing net, he was more than surprised to see how the net budged in the water and looked strained down the side of the big stones sunken in the sand close by the coast, right where it quickly turned steeper in the reef.

He had waded out there and climbed atop one of the stones, bunching up in his pants so that they did not get all wet. He looked over the edge and saw a dark figure or a clotted object lying on the bottom of the seafloor, although it was hard to see despite the water being almost crystal clear.

Somehow excited for the catch he had obtained, he had gathered the end of the fishing net and crawled down from the stone, taking stance to wade back to the coast. Nonetheless, he nearly lost his breath when he dug the heels of his feet into the sand and tried to go ahead, seeing as he was completely blocked by the weight of the fishing net that was scraping against his palms.

He had cursed aloud and swallowed thickly as he took a better hold. It took minutes – maybe even a half hour and lots of puffing and huffing just to get the end of the catch up from the reef, the step right where it got to the coastal shelf.

He had not looked back when he made the final step and heard the catch scrape against the sand when he forced himself further up the beach, subsequently collapsing there as he breathed out and cursed some more.

With his breath still ragged, he had turned around – only to feel his hair stand on end when he saw a man lying just a few meters away from him, bundled up in the net. However, what made the air in his lungs promptly leave was the fact that the man did not seem to be an exacthuman being – being curled up in what seemed like a tail.

Rin had scrambled to his feet and run over to the form slumping there, circling around it maybe five times before he actually took a hold of the net, slowly lifting it. He had felt as if is heart was beating in his ears - feeling slightly scared but curious as well.

Lifting the net, he became able to inspect the man – or fish, whatever it was, better.

The man's hair was dark and wet, bangs beaded to his forehead – just barely shading his closed eyes. His face was angular and sharp cut, and his shoulders were inanely broad. His whole presence was in general just broad and muscular in width.

Rin's breath was caught in his throat when his eyes drafted further ahead and to where the man looked less like a human – because he had no legs, and instead there was a long, filling tail. It turned even longer when Rin flung the front net away and the tail spread out, as long and big it was. Underneath each of the man's hipbones, there were pelvic fins sticking out as long folds down. Just where his groin should have been, white color streaked, starting out big but turned smaller in width until the rest was of a dark blue color - speckled in white and gray dots here and there in an exotic, but beautiful pattern.

The man was partly lying on his back, but Rin could see the huge fin sticking out from the back just where the start of the split between the buttocks should have been, budging there against the sand. It coursed down the length of the tail until another smaller fin sprouted up like a small bump, and in the peak, there were two other fins shaping the final part and caudal fin – the upper part big and the bottom small.

Rin had glared for a long time, frozen.

However, nothing had prepared him for the moment where the man's eyes opened in a whisk, and wild cyan eyes stared right back at him.

Rin had been so surprised that he stumbled over his own feet in the attempt to make a hasty retreat, falling onto his bum on the warm sand. Breath hitching and heart going mad in his chest, he had stared with wide eyes at the man who raised his broad torso, blinking his eyes slowly.

He had a broody tinge to him – a foreboding look in his eyes as his brows furrowed and his shoulders straightened out. If it had not been for his little handicap – being the tail, Rin would have thought he would have pounced him.

Then, nothing.

The merman glared at him, almost unblinking.

Rin was still in an alarmed state, chest heaving up and down rapidly. He swallowed thickly and grimaced, looking confused.

''The fuck you looking at?'' he then shakily spat, and he internally cursed at this reflex of his, striking himself as dumb because why would he ever have wanted to 'challenge' an inhumane man who looked like he could eat Rin up in two bites.

The man did not respond, but continued his intense staring.

Rin slowly crabbed a bit backwards and further away, craning in his neck as he closed his eyes briefly just to breathe out and let the whole situation sink in.

''Uh,'' he said dumbly after a while, narrowing his eyes.

The man was still unmoving – with his razor sharp look and serious face expression.

''You…,'' Rin drummed his fingers on the sand, wetting his lower lip as he thought of what to say.

''You're a merman, right?'' he asked, which probably sounded stupid – because what else had the man in front of him been? Part clown fish? Octopus?

At this, the man tilted his head slightly, leaning a bit forward.

Rin pointed at his tail rather awkwardly, making a small wiggle with his index finger – ''uh, a whale shark – as far as I can see,'' he ended it curtly.

''Cool,'' he added shortly after, nodding enthusiastically as he made a skeptical grimace, half-smiling.

He nearly jumped a feet in the air when the merman suddenly huddled closer, palms sinking into the sand as he dragged himself with an impressive speed closer to Rin. Rin did not get to react before the man was half-huddled between his legs, leaning in on him as Rin in contrast leaned backwards. He even had to spread his leg further to make space for the other, as big he was.

The redhead had thought his heart was about to pop out of his chest as he hitched a ''holy shit'' when the merman drew a hand up in front of his face, hovering the sturdy palm just inches away from his cheek.

''Human,'' a rusty voice spoke – and it took Rin a few seconds to realize it came from the merman, whose lips were slightly agape. The man had transparent-like skin between his fingers, and when he touched Rin, his hand felt soft but a bit sticky – dotted with sand.

For a moment, Rin really had thought he was going to get eaten or something alike, because it did not seem entirely impossible, given the fact that a mythical lore creature was huddled between his legs, inspecting him with cyan, curious eyes. The merman was still wet and made Rin's pants wet as well, and small droplets from his hair sprang off and draped down his stomach.

''Human?'' Rin squeaked, voice an octave higher than before.

''What are-'' the merman could seemingly speak, although his voice was a bit garbled and strange at first, slowly accommodating to the action, ''these?''

He looked down at Rin's legs and picked at the loose pants.

Rin hunched his head back so that he made a forced double chin, looking incredulous. ''You can speak?''

He received a glum look. ''Yeah,'' the man said and pulled at the fabric hanging from Rin's thigh, as if wanting to tear it off, in the process nearly knocking the other over.

''Wait- what the- fucking stop that, **will you**?'' the redhead grabbed his wrist and supported his own torso with one elbow placed in the sand, snarling.

Rin had thought that meeting a mythical creature was ought to be a magical and enlightening experience, but this guy was a jerk, and looked at Rin like he had grown a second head.

The merman had scoffed and rolled his eyes – and wow, **rude.**

''What's- oh god,'' Rin had not even known where to start.

He was distracted when the merman leaned forward and entered Rin's private space at maximum, and the human froze when he could feel a warm gush fan over his throat as the merman pressed his face to the juncture of his shoulder, inhaling there.

Rin's legs felt wobbly and he hunched up in his shoulders, squawking in surprise. When he tried to move away, he found that he was held in place as the merman leaned closer and kept his face there. Rin could feel his breath when he exhaled, warm and humid – and it made him tremble and draw his legs closer to himself, toes budging in the sand as his breath stuttered.

When the man withdrew, he only did with a few centimeters. He had to bow a bit down for them to be on the same eyelevel because of the size difference, yet still Rin had to look up at him. Rin's lower lip wobbled because the man was close – very close – so close Rin could feel his breath simmer along his own mouth. The man glared into his eyes intently, unfaltering.

Shortly, Rin had thought the merman was going to kiss him, but they were interrupted when another voice joined in, sounding in the distance, echoing in the valley-shaped area.

The merman drew back immediately and his eyes widened in a searching look, glancing towards the coast.

Rin thought his jaw was going to drop – or just his whole head when he spotted another man at the shoreline. The other man had brown hair, emerald eyes and tanned skin, looking average for a moment, until he pulled closer and a tail appeared behind him in the shape of an Orca's kind, raising itself to slap against the sand, making water splash around him.

Rin's mind was in a flurry. He thought of the possibilities of getting gang eaten or drowned – or maybe eternally judged by two jerks in the vessels of fish.

The only noises that came from his mouth were smaller strained jolts and grunts, not being able to comprehend the circumstances properly.

''Sousuke,'' the brunette called out, waving at them. His face showed relief, but as soon as his eyes landed on Rin, he instantly looked rather surprised – eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

''**Sousuke**…,'' he called again, and this time it was in a well-knowing whine, as if this Sousuke guy went out scaring the living crap out of people on average.

Sousuke's gaze flickered from Rin and then to the brunette again, as he then yelled back with a ''Makoto – come closer. I found him!''

''Dude, I haled your ass up this coast – don't come here stating otherwise,'' Rin snarled, but winced when Sousuke jerked his head towards him again with one of those glares that promised murder. Rin was about to say something else when another shadow loomed above him and blocked the sun out of his view from the side, and he was met by a wall of width - broad shoulders and muscles.

Makoto, as the other guy was called, was just as big as Sousuke – if not a teensy bit smaller, but nonetheless humongous compared to the average studs around town. He had, on the other hand, soft dopey looking eyes compared to this Sour guy – and was also leaning forward to inspect Rin closer.

He made an awed noise, and his voice was even lighter and bubblier than Sousuke's, but deep nonetheless.

Sousuke straightened out, and then the both of the mermen were hovering above Rin as he leaned back in reflex and was lying on his back, breath frantically puffing out.

''Holy shit,'' he repeated in a small voice, wishing himself gone as he thought of all sorts of goodbyes to the world, shutting his eyes forcibly, trying to control his breathing.

''Is he okay?'' the brunette asked, looking worried, but Rin could not hear any of it, because his temples were throbbing and the light was flickering in front of his eyes.

''You okay?'' Sousuke asked and tilted his head, deadpan – as neutral as ever.

'What a fucking jerk,' was the last thoughts in Rin's mind before he passed out.


	2. Another member?

He had awoken, looking up at the clear sky. In his mind, he thought that passing out should last barely ten minutes, but the sky was of an orange nuance and the sun was going down further ahead in the distance, rays reflecting warmly in the lulling water ahead.

Which, in other words, meant that he had been out cold for hours.

He grumbled and latched a hand onto his face, mussing his hair up. He felt a tad drowsy, but otherwise fine. A bit hungry, maybe.

Nothing came to his mind as he was lying there, blinking his eyes, wondering why he had been sleeping on the beach. However, when he tried to raise himself and felt a jolting pain in his right hand, he howled aloud and grabbed his wrist, inspecting his hand. He noticed the seashell he must have pressed against the sand right next to him where he placed his hand, because it had his blood on the peak.

Next to him, a whole line of seashells and clams were huddled together of all colors. Some of them looked vividly exotic, as if one had to swim to the pit of the Pacific Ocean to catch such examples. Rin raised himself to his knees and looked down at them in wonder, noting that they formed the letters S and M.

He grimaced, because the first thing he thought of was something lewd and inappropriate. Then, he gaped, because the memories from before rushed back to him – and this proved they might have been true.

Mermen.

He gulped and scrambled to his feet, looking around wildly.

There was no one around, though.

When he went home that day, he nearly knocked his head into the door leading to his apartment. He could not get the keys right and fumbled with them, but no curses left his mouth. He just went to his room and flumped down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling – wondering whether he had gone cuckoo crazy or not.

He did not go near the beach or forest for a while at all, and ended up googling mermaids and mermen obsessively on the internet. Asking weird questions on Yahoo, browsing all available videos on YouTube – going to his studies with wonder and strange thoughts in his mind.

* * *

><p>Later and in the present - he is here, standing in the outer area of the forest that leads to the beach areas, as well as his own favored secluded shoreline. He is wearing a cap and a black loose t-shirt, along with knee-length shorts and a pair of shabby sneakers. The weather is warm and he has pulled his hair up in a ponytail, now that his locks have become long enough for such an action.<p>

He misses the beach – misses fishing or wading around with the sunrays simmering on his neck and shoulders. Today, he decides he is going to go out and fish, whether or not lore creatures might be hiding somewhere.

''It's just a dream,'' he mutters to himself and pushes some bangs out of his face with the front of the bend of his arm, both of his hands occupied by a fishing rod and a bag. He gathers his composure and treads in the forest.

It is calming to walk here, because he knows the route well. He recognizes the trees and the overall look, smiles when he hears birds chirping from the crown of the trees above. He forgets about the worry he had had in mind, and instead wanders ahead while humming gently.

When he makes it to the shore, there is nothing in sight except his little fishing boat and the open area. Something lifts in his chest and he feels relieved to be here again, having refrained from wading here for almost a week now.

He cannot help but to laugh due the giddiness he feels as he runs out to the shoreline, halting just before the water wells up and rocks forward, remembering that he is still wearing his sneakers.

He is quick to abandon the shoes as he then wades out in the water and climbs atop his favorite rock, and the feeling of the fresh wind tugging in his magenta strands make him chuckle again. He looks around and notices the fishing net from before lying ahead on the beach, as well as the initials – S and M.

He reasons with himself and thinks of it as something unrelated to him, pursing his mouth as he adjusts his seat and hangs the bait onto the fishing crook, sticking his tongue out in concentration.

Sitting like this is comfortable to him, and not a matter of patience. Most of the time, he does not even think of anything – but enjoys the nature surrounding him. Enjoys the heat from above, the drift of mild breezes coming through, and the smell of the ocean lingering in his nostrils. He barely notices the weight put in his hands when the line is tugged in, doing a small loose hop as the end of his fishing rod bends downwards.

The realization hits him when he is nearly jerked away from his spot on the stone, heels digging into the rough and slippery surface to keep seated. ''Oh shit,'' he yelps and then grins, thinking he must have achieved quite the catch. Something clicks in his head when the grip gets stronger and stronger, and he has to raise himself and physically lounge backwards to keep his stance right. Something akin to panic rouses in him when a certain tug nearly sends him slipping, and he curses and tries to adjust the settings on the fishing rod, knuckles whitening by the strength he uses. ''No, no, no, no – '' he chants, groaning aloud because he is not going to lose to a supernatural muscle fish.

The action has its turn when the tugging gets harder and he falls into the water with a squawk. In the rush, he is not sure what to feel but only thrashes around, inhaling gulps of water by the surprise when he feels something lock around his ankle. He coughs feverishly and does not know what is up and down as he is risen above the surface. His hat has fallen off and now he is wet all over.

''Why'd you do that?'' he hears a voice say, followed by a soft noise and a: ''Just thought I'd prank him – didn't know he'd have a heart attack…''

He opens his eyes and the first thing he sees are familiar cyan eyes, this time along with emerald ones close by. His back is resting against the rock, being held up by two arms on each bicep. A hand rests on his cheek, a thumb digging into the corner of his mouth lightly.

''Are you all right?'' the bubbly voice asks, coming from the brunette, whose name, as far as Rin remembers, starts with M.

M is lined up behind the other person, S, and is the one who is leaning over to rest a hand upon Rin's cheek almost fondly.

Rin is slowly getting a catch of the current circumstances, and rather than answering, his eyes fly down to gaze at the lower part of them through the clear surface of the water, seeing what he before thought was impossible.

''You guys-'' he swallows, leaning his head to the side to look away shortly when he coughs.

''You're not supposed to be-'' his breath hitches again and his brows raise on his forehead, looking as if in despair, ''to- to be real…''

S looks amused for a second, a crooked smile creeping onto his mouth. ''It's all in your head,'' he says with a booming voice, trying to make it sound spooky. He receives a pinch from M, who gives him a begrudging glare. ''Sousuke!''

''What?'' Sousuke, as his name is, murmurs incredulously, although he is still smiling, and the both of them are close – M's chest aligned against Sousuke'sback, and their nose tips are almost touching when Sousuke looks back at M leaning over. ''Be nice,'' M says, and Rin does not miss the way their eyes lock – the way they share secret smiles in a manner that is not entirely platonic.

Their attention returns to Rin shortly after, and M continues to let his hand linger there, now dragging it a bit around as he pinches his nose and cups his chin too. ''You sure you okay?'' he asks, and it looks as if he is trying to see if Rin has gotten any damage from his fatal 1-meter fall from the rock.

''I'm fine,'' he says, as fine he can be, being a few heartbeats away from a major attack of peculiarity and all. Here Rin is – making a conversation with two mermen. He is feeling greater than ever, he concludes.

''What's your name?'' Sousuke asks, and his grip on Rin's arms soften and the both of them come a bit closer, as if inspecting him.

''Rin.''

They both repeat it and look at each other again, tasting the name - and some knowing look is shared between them. Rin only sees it shortly, thinking nothing big of it.

''That's a nice name, Rin,'' M says with such a pleasant and genuine tone it makes Rin halt.

''My name is Sousuke, and this is Makoto,'' Sousuke interjects and makes a jerk with his head in Makoto's direction.

''Nice,'' Rin says dryly, not sure what to say. He bites his lower lip, gaze flickering between the mermen.

Sousuke is suddenly very close, looking him deeply in the eyes, and Rin leans a bit back – ''there is something called private space and I'm not sure you know of it,'' he murmurs, feeling confused.

Sousuke seems to not know what it is or he simply does not care, continuing to inspect him with a curious expression on his face. Makoto does as much, nearly pressing Sousuke down the water in order to get a better view. Now Sousuke cups his cheek too, and they pull up in his lips and stretch the skin around the eyes, and Rin grimaces, trying to swat them away.

''What's your deal?'' he grumbles and gets a hold of Makoto's hand, and it is comfortable that he does not have to move himself in order to stay upright – with Sousuke still holding him in place with one of his hands.

''Didn't know humans were so pretty up close,'' Sousuke murmurs and tilts Rin's chin. Rin's adams apple bobs up and down when he swallows, and he fights against the blush extending on his cheeks. ''Look at his hair,'' Makoto says and runs his hands through the wet locks, nuzzling his scalp with his wide palm.

''We're pretty identical though,'' Rin responds and this time he just allows them to do whatever. He feels lightheaded and a bit dizzy, buzzed out by the circumstances altogether. The duo gives him a weird look, smiling.

Rin tenses up and blinks his eyes. ''I mean – uh, our faces are, that is. Not- not uh, the lower regions, I guess,'' and the fact that he is having such a conversation makes him want to pinch himself to see whether he really is dreaming or not.

He yelps when Sousuke drags him away from the stone and further out, and their movements are smooth while Rin thrashes with his legs and is not sure what to do, other than trying to stay above the surface. Makoto swims around them and appears behind the redhead, looking at him with curious eyes. Rin can feel the beat of their tails swishing back and forth when they move, maneuvering around.

''What are these?'' Sousuke asks as he had the first time they met, but this time he tugs in Rin's shirt, and so does Makoto, looking awed. ''Clothes,'' Rin says and receives other questioning looks. He sighs. ''It's like body protection or… something. You know, uh – humans don't go around naked, because that's… that's embarrassing. Therefore, we wear clothes, which are materials draped on our body to cover us. Because that makes sense,'' he mumbles, not knowing how to describe it properly, getting distracted by the mermen's fleeting touches.

He has to hold onto Sousuke, grabbing his shoulders. Makoto leans in on one point and buries his face in the juncture of his throat from behind, which makes the redhead gasp as his legs tangle with his strong tail, feeling the odd texture. ''Uh-'' Rin stammers, repeatedly, because suddenly the both of them are very touchy.

''Is this some kind of meeting ritual? Like instead of a handshake, you- you sniff each other's musk or whatever?'' he nearly bites his own tongue when Sousuke does the same, and now they are at his throat from both sides.

''He doesn't have gills,'' Makoto murmurs, and Rin's voice is raised an octave when he feels Sousuke nibble lightly at his skin. ''He's weird,'' the brute says.

''You do realize I am present and very capable of speaking myself, right?''

''Weird,'' Sousuke repeats and presses closer.

Makoto draws away and his hands find their way to Rin's waist, one hand on each side as he lets them roam. ''He has arms for tail?'' the brunette continues and sounds intrigued, and Sousuke looks down too now. ''You are very touchy,'' Rin snarls, but his words are ignored.

He chokes on air when Sousuke's palm cups his groin, pressing there. ''No touchy, nooooo touching-'' he suddenly rambles, pulling Sousuke's head back by his hair, and the merman grumbles.

''Is that your arousal?'' Makoto asks and cups him too in a more experimental way, tugging in the edge of the shorts. Rin's voice changes from being low to high-pitched, ''no- **Makoto**, when Sousuke can't that means you can't either.''

Sousuke pouts and Makoto looks heartbroken.

Rin sighs.

''How did you guys even find me? I mean- I mean I was gone for a fucking week, and-'' maybe he should just stop talking now and swim back and obtain everything about common sense, although it must have drowned already from the fall before.

''We saw you from the distance. We've seen you many times before here, actually – ever since you began to come here regularly'' Sousuke says, and Makoto nods behind Rin, looking enthusiastic.

Rin looks at them alternately, outwitted.

''I started coming here a half year ago. Have you guys **stalked **me?'' he asks, voice high-pitched and disbelieving. ''I mean that's not creepy at all, sheesh,'' his voice is dripping with an attitude and if he could he would latch his hands onto his face and sigh everything out of his body.

''Stalking? What does that mean?'' Sousuke repeats, furrowing his brows.

''Sounds edible,'' Makoto bids in and Sousuke agrees, and they smile warmly at each other.

Rin gives up.

''Have you- why- I-'' the redhead groans and now he hides his face in Sousuke's shoulder, because there are so many thoughts he have yet to think through. Mermen – mermen being jerks, mermen being very handsome jerks, mermen being very handsome jerks who have stalked him for half a year all the days he has gone out to the sea.

In some ways, these guys might already know him – been viewers to some of the embarrassing things he has done, or the times he has swum or been fishing and all giddy. The times he have brought out a friend here or gone ahead with alcohol, drinking himself starry-eyed while watching the stars in the middle of the night. There are too many things.

''That's illegal,'' Rin says, and Sousuke raises his brows, and Makoto looks even more puzzled than before. ''We've not always been there,'' Makoto says as if trying to thin it out and make it better.

''But I saw you puke your guts out one time when you were drinking some strange substance,'' Sousuke quickly interjects, leering, and Makoto gets the same look, saying a: ''oh, I remember you told me about that.''

Rin wants to burn up.

''Oh my god,'' he moans and continues to hide his face in Sousuke's shoulder, and Makoto chuckles behind him.

''How old are you?'' they move on and ask him more questions.

''Twenty.''

''What are those?''

''They're legs.''

''What are legs?''

''Some sticks attached to your body. You walk with them.''

''What's walking?''

''Really?''

Rin starts to feel weird, being sandwiched between two muscular guys who are too close and too pretty up close, and all too eager to touch him just about everywhere.

Makoto suddenly disappears underneath the water, and Rin realizes, much to his dismay, that his legs are getting examined. The brunette pinches his shins and then his feet, probing between the toes so that Rin laughs and thrashes around, nearly kicking Makoto in the face. ''No, no, no- I'm ticklish,'' he bubbles with laughter but tries to hide it, half-scowling half-smiling. Makoto appears again, and Sousuke is glaring at him intently, as if hypnotized – they grow quiet.

''What?''

''You're pretty cute,'' Sousuke says.

Makoto looks as if he can barely hold in his excitement, lips slightly agape as his eyes widen and he looks overjoyed.

''You laughed!'' he looks dazzled as if in afterglow, and the both of them are at his front again, leaning in. Their tails brush his legs with their smooth and unfamiliar texture.

Rin feels his cheeks prickle and he scowls at them, not knowing what to say. ''You have good ears,'' he says instead, running a hand through his hair as he spits out some of the saltwater from a moment before where he lost his grip on Sousuke.

He shivers because the water is a little cold when he is not active, and he feels bold enough to latch onto Sousuke as he straddles him and presses his thighs against his hips. Sousuke looks surprised, and Makoto eyes his legs closely where they are wrapped around the other.

''You're doing something,'' Sousuke says almost animatedly, looking wildly down himself.

''That looks hurtful,'' Makoto says and picks a bit at Rin's toes, making Rin jerk them a bit and Sousuke look even more befuddled.

''Yeah I'm trying to stay alive, that's what,'' he grumbles. ''If you haven't noticed I'm not really suited for underwater fun and all that,'' he points at his throat, indicating the lack of gills.

Instead of answering, Makoto reaches down and caresses the side of his thigh, creeping his fingers up the sleeve of the shorts, putting a pressure there as he checks how the muscles flex.

Sousuke watches the action and the both of them are so intense about it, it makes Rin wonder what their motives are, as for who they are and what they are to each other.

''It feels like biceps, but different,'' Makoto says and Sousuke nods, putting a hand there too. They are back at the experimenting again, almost shutting Rin out of the conversation.

While they touch and pinch, the move closer almost naturally, shoulders bumping fondly as their heads tilt towards each other, temples nearly touching. They continue talking – a low comfortable mutter, locked up in their intimate bubble of being a domestic couple. Rin is certainly no fool, and the way their bodies respond to each other makes out two experienced mates. They are quite a contrast duo though, given Sousuke's stern but playful attitude and Makoto's angelic smile and kind words.

Rin is a bit dazed and out of it, because he does not notice what is happening in front of him - until he sees them trapped in an intimate action. Makoto tilts his head to the side as they face each other and lean closer.

The kiss is genuine at first, a small peck on the lips. However, they keep their eyes on each other, gazes flickering from the eyes to the lips, subsequently leaning in for a longer kiss.

This one is open-mouthed and with some nibbling here and there, and when Sousuke slips his tongue into Makoto's mouth – and Rin sees how the brunette willingly opens his mouth so naturally, it settles something warm in the pit of his stomach.

''I don't recall signing up for some merman porn.''

Makoto does not even react and Sousuke only cracks one eye open and looks at him just as Makoto moans pleasantly and sucks on his tongue lightly, and Rin can see how they brush against one another, as well as see the pull in the corner of Sousuke's mouth when he smirks unctuously into the kiss.

''Okay then,'' Rin grimaces and tongues the inside of his cheek, feeling like he is third-wheeling but at the same time not, because both of their hands are still on him, massaging him there, and Sousuke continues to send him looks – no shame to regard.

Second meeting. At the first, he passed out. In the second, he ends up experiencing voyeurism and a kinky couple who – apparently – seems to be into that kind of thing.

When they are done kissing, Makoto looks pleased, and Sousuke a bit too smug.

Makoto clears his throat and does that angelic smile, as if he had not just been in the act of shoving his tongue down Sousuke's throat a few seconds again. ''Sorry,'' he says, ''got a bit carried away,'' his grasp on Rin's thigh tightens just barely.

They end up talking some more and Rin has to get a moment and gather himself. He is staggering when he wades out of the ocean and has a jerky way of putting his shoes on – very aware he is being watched from a distance. He bundles his shirt together and squeezes it, getting the water out of it, and does the same with his cap, which now looks like a lost cause – bunched together and loose. He gathers his stuff, the fishing rod and his bag, and pushes some bangs out of his face, exhaling heavily as he slouches in his back and looks back at the ocean.

He is wet all over and he has a hard on.

From a distance, Sousuke and Makoto are waving at him.

Come tomorrow again, they had said. Not why, but they said they wanted to get to know him better.

He feels light in his chest and somewhat intrigued, but also outwitted and a little strange.

In the process, he is getting aware of the fact that he has befriended two mermen, who may or may not have a sexual interest in him – it being for the sake of a relationship or for fulfillment of their feisty desires, one may never know.


	3. Beneath the stars

Remember to settle the format as 1/2 for a better reading experience.

In this chapter, they go look at stars in the merman way -

if you get what I mean (snorts).

No, seriously - they go look at the stars.

* * *

><p>Belatedly, Rin does meet up at the beach the following evening.<p>

His trotting is slow, and in the warm breezes, he has chosen to wear some simple black jeans, a tank top and a cardigan - having decided that he is most definitely not going for a dive tonight.

The sun is going down in the horizon from afar, and around this time of the year – even when it is amidst the night, it will never really be too dark. When Rin makes it to his secluded area as he has walked through the forest, he breathes the fresh smell in and exhales deeply – a small smile tugging the corners of his lips.

For a while, he only but stands there, admiring the view of the gentle waves lulling on the surface of the sea, along with the beautiful sunset displayed in the distance. He digs the heel of one sneaker against the sand, humming a soft tune under his breath. He has the thoughts of the mermen in the back of his mind, but for some reason, he still has the idea that the encounters are all just a part of a strange dream.

He steps closer and takes off his shoes, bunching up in his pants – subsequently wading along the shoreline, letting his feet become covered in the current wave licking up the beach. The water only reaches his ankles at highest, and he leans down and looks at the small stones lying around here and there.

He thinks he hear a splash come from somewhere afar, but when he looks up, he is looking straight into two emerald eyes. In the surprise, he yelps and falls back, and his breath hitches when the next wave comes and softly lulls against his buttocks and feet, seeping through his clothes. He is still in an alarmed state until he realizes that it is Makoto who is in front of him, half of his tail covered in water and the rest on land.

Then, the second realization strikes him and he groans aloud, because now his clothes are wet – or at least his pants and his butt is, and he scowls at the other, who smiles brightly at him, not seeing anything wrong in it. ''Great…,'' Rin says, and does not even bother to raise himself. He had promised to come after all, and now he is here. ''Rin,'' Makoto says, and he looks overjoyed.

Rin eyes him with an incredulous look.

''So I'm really not going crazy?'' he says, rhetorically. Makoto looks surprised when Rin reaches a hand out and touches his nose, poking the tip with one finger. The brunette follows the movement with his eyes and hunches a bit back in his neck, looking befuddled. He makes a soft sound, following Rin's hand with his eyes as Rin cups his cheek as well and pinches there, then drawing up in his upper lip to see his teeth. ''This is really not a prank?'' he continues, and Makoto only seem to grow more confused the more he is being inspected, Rin talking in riddles all the while.

''Hey,'' he hears behind Makoto, and Sousuke is there too, crawling closer along the sand, tail splashing against the shore.

''Really?'' Rin speaks to himself, palming his own face for a second or two. When he look between the cracks of his fingers, he can see both Makoto and Sousuke lined up in front of him, looming forward.

''Is he okay?'' Sousuke asks, and Makoto makes a light noise, unknowing. Sousuke pokes Rin between his fingers, nudging the tip of an index finger against his cheek. Rin bats it away and pouts at him, ''yeah, yeah, you guys are real and all – that's great,'' he says, not liking the smug smirk upon Sousuke's lips.

''You're late,'' Sousuke says, and his voice stills a bit.

Rin had not thought the time of arrival would matter, but the merman had said that they wanted him to come a little early yesterday, after all.

''Oh…,'' Rin answers, and he gather his thoughts to think of a decent response.

''It's okay,'' Makoto says and smiles gently, and the sour-guy next to him loosens up at this, and so does Rin, strangely enough.

''Yeah, sorry – this is just strange and all,'' the redhead then says, rubbing his nape. The weather is still warm and the water is not that cold, so he does not mind getting soaked after all.

Makoto gets a gleam in his eyes and takes a hold of Rin's wrist, surprising him by the doing. ''Come with us!'' he says, already inching backwards with a surprising speed given his state on land. The force he uses makes Rin fall forward and onto his knees as he has to crawl with them, babbling confusedly all the while with a few 'Wait-' and 'stop-'s.

They do stop up to look at him, and Rin fidgets with his cardigan and shirt. ''I just have to change first,'' he says, and it does not seem to make sense to the merman. He clicks his tongue though and undresses himself until he is standing in only his boxer shorts, quickly wading into the water to avoid their intent glaring.

He is scooped into Makoto's embrace once they make it further out the shore and into the steeper place where the water reaches Rin's collarbones. He shrieks when held in bridal style as Makoto undisturbed continues swimming – Sousuke being alongside him. They chat briefly, and maybe says something to Rin, but all Rin can focus on is the warm embrace he is held in, as well as the shoreline getting more distant the further out they get.

Rin tries to wriggle out of his grip fruitlessly, but Makoto only smiles brighter and shooshes on him, telling him that he is not going to get hurt despite the depth of the water and the darkness swelling in the background. Sousuke makes a crude joke and receives a whip on the tail from his partner though.

''How can I know you're not going to kidnap me or something?'' Rin says, arching a brow, feeling his heart speed up inside his chest, and he does not know whether he is to trust them or not. Sousuke swims closer and bites his lower lip, trying not to grin – ''You can't know until we're there,'' he says, and Makoto flusters and tells Rin again that Sousuke is only joking.

The redhead is befuddled when they suddenly stop, and by now, the sun is nearly swallowed by the horizon ahead – leaving behind orange glows and oncoming darkness. Small stars are speckled in the distance, shining on the darkening sky. They have swum for a while and it is hard for Rin to see the shoreline and his secluded area from here, being in the middle of almost nothing.

He is about to ask again, but feels a palm caressing the back of his head, followed by Sousuke closing in on him. Soft lips are upon his own, and he nearly jerks out of place in Makoto's embrace when something wet brushes his lower lip, nudging against the crack of his mouth. In the surprise, he obediently opens and lets Sousuke's tongue in, and it slides in easily, running along the flat of his lower teeth slowly. The gesture is so intimate it leaves a slow burn cradling the insides of Rin's stomach, and he involuntarily eases out a pleasant moan, subsequently drawing away as he tries to gather his composure again, staring wide-eyed at the other.

Sousuke only looks even more smug, and Makoto a bit starry-eyed. ''Here we go, then – '' Makoto smiles gently as he begins to sink lower into the water. Rin splutters and tries to heave himself up, but is dragged underneath the surface – panic arising in his mind.

He kicks wildly around him and wants go up again the more they drag him down, and the merman have to stop up and hold him so that he does not move, touching him with easy and soft movements. He realizes that Makoto is speaking to him, and Sousuke too – and he can hear them brightly, as if they are on the surface and in clear air.

His lungs give in and he frantically breathes out – expecting his lungs to be filled with water, but finds himself inhaling normally. Makoto looks as if he has seen a ghost, and Sousuke is there too, hands holding his biceps and hips as they lean closer, telling him to calm down and that it is okay.

Rin grabs his throat and puts a pressure there, outwitted by his capability to breathe underwater. ''Rin, listen to me. You're all right.'' Sousuke says, and he cups his cheek and looks into his eyes, keeping him focused.

''I can breathe?'' Rin splutters, taking a look around – bubbles released from his mouth for every word he speaks. Makoto tilts his head and laughs gently, looking relieved. ''The fuck?'' The redhead continues and blinks his eyes owlishly – because he can see, and the water is clear and bright to him despite the darkness above.

''It's uh- well, to put it short – Sousuke granted you some of his flow,'' Makoto explains, which only makes the redhead narrow his eyes in further confusion. ''With a kiss, he transferred some of the- magic?'' Makoto looks at Sousuke, and Sousuke shrugs, shaking on his head in a'don't-ask-me' gesture, ''magic, yeah- as humans like to call it,'' Makoto says. ''You're able to breathe and live underwater for a certain amount of time, basically.''

Rin licks his lower lip as habit of his, glancing up at the surface lulling above him from afar. ''That's not how it goes in the movies…,'' he mumbles, earning questioning glances from the others. ''Holy shit,'' he continues when the realization really strikes him, and he grimace and stare at the others, as if the explanation from before is far from enough. ''How many times have you guys done this?''

''Done what?''

''You know- uh- dragged humans down here and all…''

''You make it sound like it's some hobby we have,'' Sousuke dryly comments, and Makoto laughs.

''You're the first human we've ever met though,'' the other says, granting him a flattering smile.

It makes something flutter in Rin's chest just briefly, and he looks away.

''Well, that's great, I guess…''

''He's cute, isn't he?'' Sousuke drawls, and Makoto wholeheartedly agrees.

''Stop talking like I'm not here!''

''And he gets flustered so easily, oh boy….,'' the brunette tuts softly.

''It's not like that!'' Rin feels heat creep onto his cheeks, and he tries to give them a begrudging glare. He yelps when they let go of him and float around him, but he stops sputtering when he sees them in motion.

They are both well-endowed in muscle and body with, and their tails look dainty and light as they swim around – tail swishing around with kicks that make the water stir around Rin.

Rin stop stalking and looks at them, craning in his neck to get a better view of Makoto when he swims above him, surprised when Sousuke snakes around him from behind just shortly, whispering a 'boo' into his ear. ''You're not funny, Sousuke!'' Rin yells after him, and Sousuke sticks his tongue out at him.

His eyes find something else to grant their attention at though, gaze roaming along the ocean floor. They have not made it far enough out for it to resemble a reef that can mold on the bottom of somewhere exotic, but are at the part where it slowly builds up. Rin is not as fast as the mermen are, but has always been good at swimming – great even, and used to look into professional swimming just a few years ago.

Swimming freely here feels even greater than swimming in a pool, and has always been. He maneuvers himself down to the cream-colored sand on the bottom and sticks his hands into it, grinning almost childishly by how soft it is.

He almost forgets that the mermen are there, when suddenly Makoto appears next to him, the swish of his tail creating a ruckus in the sand as the corns whirl around. ''Do you like it here?'' he asks, lying there in a position humans lie in when they lie on the grass and look at the stars.

Rin is a little breathless, nodding slowly. ''Are you kidding me-'' he laughs, ''it's amazing,'' he says and swims closer to the ground despite the trouble of staying still, and Makoto grabs him by the biceps to keep him from swaying in the water, making Rin float still above him.

The action itself is innocent, but it rustles something light inside Rin's mind, and he feels a little flustered by the fond look he is granted, as if Makoto actually perceives him just as much as a partner as he does with Sousuke.

''Aren't you together with Sousuke?'' the words fly out of his mouth before he can stop himself, and he tenses up, regretting the boldness.

Makoto tilts his head as if the obvious has been stated. ''Yeah, I love him a lot. He's my mate.''

Rin is confused.

''So- wh-y- uh-'' the redhead tongues the inside of his cheek and furrows his brows.

''But I like you too,'' Makoto then says, and just then, Sousuke slides in next to him and lies down too, grinning slightly.

''I like Rin too,'' the raven says in a soft voice that Rin has never heard him with before.

''How is-'' Rin's gaze flickers between them repeatedly. Then he remembers what he is feeling himself, and that despite the uneasiness and strange encounter, he cannot deny that he does feel attracted to the both of them just as much.

He is not going to admit that he envies their relationship a bit too, wanting such soft gazes directed towards himself as well.

''That's great,'' he says dryly, and the mermen do not look surprised by the impassionate response.

''He's the real deal, huh?'' Sousuke gives Makoto a knowing glance, and Makoto returns it just as much. ''Definitely.''

''What?''

''You're just as we thought you'd be,''' one of Makoto's hands run down his shoulder and to his waist in a somehow fond caress.

''Oh yeah, my own personal stalkers, that's right…''

''Was it a dish?''

''Sounds edible, still….''

''Honestly…'' Rin rolls his eyes.

Makoto directs Rin easily down onto the ground between Sousuke and himself, sandwiched between them. Rin makes a big show of looking puzzled, bidding in with a: ''hey, hey- I know this is cozy and all, but uh-'' although he make no signs to show discomfort.

Sousuke leans onto his side and nuzzles against him from behind – Makoto at the front. They both have a hand draping his exposed side, one hand on his bicep and the other one further down, resting just above his hipbone.

Rin thinks it is weird – feeling comfortable and safe between two men he barely knows - not even members of the 'human' race, but something alike. The texture of their tails are weird when his legs rub against them by accident or when they huddle closer to him. Rin's hair has gotten longer through the years, and he is glad he is wearing a ponytail, because otherwise his hair would have been in the way as a waving mess.

Makoto looks into his eyes, and this is the first time Rin really looks back. He changes between looking at the both of them, craning in his neck to look at Sousuke behind him too. They somehow have the same built, but their faces are worlds apart. Makoto with his dopey, fond eyes, and Sousuke with his confident and unwavering ones that are nevertheless just as fascinating. What is interesting is that the color of their eyes are not just average either, but exotic and vibrant – supernatural compared to the humans on land. It seems as if the looks he are given are glowing, seeping into his consciousness, burning into his mind behind his eyelids when he closes his eyes.

Sousuke leans in on him and kisses his nape, letting his lips linger there. It sends a shiver down Rin's spine, but he does not move, other than allowing the other to inch closer. Makoto closes in on him too, and Rin is not sure when they started kissing – but the brunette's mouth is on him. It is different from kissing Sousuke, but is just as soft and careful.

Rin swallows heavily when he feels Sousuke's hand run along his side, shortly running a thumb along the edge of his boxers and then up his abdominal muscles to splay out there. Makoto distracts him from it by kissing him harder, this time slipping his tongue in – and despite being engulfed by water, the action is all warm and wet itself.

He opens his eyes at one point and looks at the view above him. The surface water is almost transparent by now, and the stars can even be seen from here, mildly glowing down along with the barren moon further ahead. Everything is blue around him in varied nuances, lighted up by the night sky that shines through and makes the water somehow muddily bright too in a hypnotizing way.

''The sky…,'' Rin murmurs between the kisses, and Makoto stops too and looks up. ''Yeah,'' Sousuke says warmly behind him, having turned his head to look up too. ''We wanted to show you this,'' Makoto contributes, leaning in to rest his mouth against the side of Rin's face, close to his ear.

Rin's hips jerk slightly when Sousuke's hand travels down and brushes his erection trapped in his boxers, and the raven does not take lightly on this reaction.

However, Rin realizes that he is the first human they have ever been close to, and there is a big risk that they do not exactly look the same in regards to their lower regions. The last thing he wants right now is to be laughed at for looking different, because to them, he must look alien.

''Not there-'' he whimpers, swallowing again as he tenses up between them. Sousuke's hand stop moving and lies still, while Makoto makes a concerned noise.

''It doesn't feel good?'' Sousuke asks, wary.

''I- yes, I mean yes- it does,'' is the answer, a bit hurried.

''Then why…?''

''I'm different, you know.''

''I'm different from you guys,'' Rin continues, trying to calm himself by viewing the stars above, finding peace in the lull of the small waves disturbing the blank surface here and there.

''Don't worry,'' Makoto says and nudges his face against the side of Rin's throat. ''You'd be surprised as for how we look too, I'm sure.''

Rin has forgotten about that, shortly. Being reminded makes him a bit at ease.

''Can I touch?'' Sousuke asks.

Rin inhales deeply.

''Yeah.''

''Tell me to stop if you change your mind…,'' the raven says, and he kisses Rin's nape again and huddles closer – smooth tail brushing his legs in a manner that is almost considered reassuring.

His fingers splay out once more and edges closer to his boxers, but he does not nudge them underneath the hem, but brushes his clothed erection. Rin's breath hitches and he feels how Makoto moves closer and nibbles at the skin along his throat, noticing that there is no breath coming there though.

''Is it sheathed too?'' Sousuke asks behind him, cupping his webbed hand along the outline of Rin's cock. Rin blinks his eyes, a soft tune leaving his lips before answering, sounding distracted – ''sheathed?''

''Uh- it's not-'' Rin's breathing hitches when the grasping turns a bit firmer – experimental.

''It's exposed, but I'm wearing clothes,'' he says, and he can almost feel how the mermen turn even more curious.

''Clothes – that extra skin, right?'' Makoto murmurs against his throat, and his palms are soft and comforting as they run along his leg and inner thigh, jolting some nerves there as Rin arches slightly in his back.

''Yes-'' Rin answers, breath a bit ragged when Makoto's hand find its way to the elastic band holding the boxers together, dragging down in the material, rolling the fabric between a thumb and index finger.

Sousuke contributes too, hand disappearing underneath the boxers as Makoto tugs the fabric down enough for Rin's erection to be exposed. Rin closes his eyes and breathes heavily, expects them to laugh or something. They do not say anything, and he can feel how the both of them raise themselves slightly to peek down between his legs.

''Don't laugh,'' Rin murmurs, both of his hands grasping at Makoto's side to keep himself lying down. They do not laugh, and the outbursts never comes.

''It's kind of pretty, isn't it?'' Makoto says, and Sousuke hums in agreement.

Rin feels like he might die.

He draws up in his boxers as quick as they were tugged down, nearly floating up in the process. The mermen grab him though and keep him in check, immediately reacting with ''No, Rin,'' and ''Are you okay?''s.

''There is nothing wrong with it,'' Sousuke says and looks concerned, leaning closer to nuzzle his face against his throat. Makoto does the same, and Rin thinks they must really have a thing for nuzzling each other's throats and necks as some mating ritual of a kind.

''It's just- can we do it another time?'' Rin murmurs, blinking his eyes. His cheeks are still burning, and it is a contrast to the water flowing around him, sticking to his body.

''Anytime,'' they say, and that is when Rin realizes what he in reality slowly has agreed upon, as well as has accepted and been lured into.

He sighs but welcomes the warmth they provide – melts into it and lets himself be embraced anew. This time, there is only kissing though and chats about nothing and everything, and it all seems out of place, but is more welcomed this time.


	4. Within and Deeper

Rin comes by every now and then. He sometimes has to stop up and think about the circumstances, but gradually leaves it be and just shows up to expect whatever will occur.

After the night tour in the ocean, Sousuke and Makoto has nearly not touched him in any way. They only take him by the arms when they bring him further out or brush his legs with their tails. They do not even kiss him to take him underwater, but keep the meetings settled on the surface, close to the sunken stones or along the shoreline.

Rin spots the difference easily, but does not say anything about it for a while. He finds himself excited to meet them when he is done with studying and comes out to his secluded area, sometimes finding that they are not there. It reminds him that they must have some sort of society underwater too, studying or maybe having jobs.

He finds himself more curious than ever.

However, he also finds himself slightly annoyed by the lack of contact. He once tries to initiate it where he subtly leans closer to Makoto, whereas the merman in response huddles backwards and smiles prettily as ever, as if he has not just not-so-subtly rejected the redhead. Sousuke reacts the same way, keeping a decent distance from the human when they sunbathe at the shore or swim in the water.

Admittedly, it drives Rin mad.

* * *

><p>Today, Rin is tired, but jogs out there wearing his sport clothes. He has jogged all the way from the village, through the forest and to the beach areas far away, although it has been difficult for the growth. He stops jogging when the growth of the wood dwindles down and he is met by the calm ocean staring back, a fresh blue blinding his sight shortly.<p>

He stops up and pants heavily, supporting his weight with his hands on his knees as he breathes out. He takes off his cap and loosens his ponytail because it is too tight, carding a hand through his long locks. Granting a few bangs of magenta hair a considering stare, he strongly considers getting a haircut soon.

''Rin!'' he hears from the water, and Rin absently twirls the cap with a finger hooked in the shape of the headwear, stepping closer as he forgets to tie his hair up like before. ''Yo, Makoto,'' he says and smiles. He cannot help but to admit that he has gotten fond of the strange duo, considering they must have officially known each other for almost a month now (excluding the half year stalking period). It also reminds him that they really have not kissed or touched him intimately ever since that night underneath he stars weeks ago.

Nearing the edge, he undresses himself along the way, not noticing the way Makoto flusters and fidgets in the water, looking away and then back again, changing between it. Rin has also told the merman a bit about human clothing and alike, as for what it means as well. It seems that mermen does not have the same grasp of shame regarding nudity – or at least Sousuke does not, but Makoto has – after Rin has told him what it means to humans.

He undresses himself until he is only wearing a pair of fiber running shorts. When he looks at Makoto, he sees the merman looking a bit dazed or slightly hypnotized.

''Makoto?''

Makoto does not react, but only continues staring, and he is not staring at Rin's body, but at his hair and face.

**''Makoto!''**

The merman snaps out of his trance and looks around wildly, tilting his head as he sways back and apologizes sheepishly. ''Your hair…,'' is all he says.

Rin picks at the strands of magenta, scrunching his hair up. ''Yeah, I need a haircut – I know,'' he grins. He wades out in the water, and Makoto blinks haphazardly when he closes in on him and puts a hand on his broad shoulder.

''Uh-'' the brunette says intelligently and nearly yelps in surprise when Rin presses his lips against his, promptly nudging his lips open with his tongue as he cups the underside of Makoto's chin to tip it up, regarding the height difference since he is standing on his knees.

Rin then cup his cheeks with the both of his hands and deepens the kiss, the action making a squelching noise when they draw apart, only for him to kiss him again in an even messier manner. Makoto is puffing out surprised breaths when they are finished, looking dazed – pupils expanded and lips a bit swollen.

Rin licks his lips and tastes saltwater, but decides he likes the taste this time. ''Can I breathe underwater now then?'' he asks.

The merman looks confused, but then remembers and seems a bit dumbfounded.

He grins sheepishly. ''No, uh, I need to transfer it to you consciously. You can't just take it from me.''

Rin pouts and grumbles something unintelligible.

Makoto kisses him this time, doing it fondly as he snakes his arms around Rin's waist in a gentle way, as if longing for such a caring action. He draws him much closer and manages to raise himself on the base of his tail just slightly so that their chests are aligned. Rin feels a little strange and small in comparison, but he is too caught up in the gesture to grant it further thought.

Makoto seems to draw them closer again, hands touchy and a little too curious for their own good. Rin snarls against his lips as a warning, and Makoto returns his hands to his waist instead of his buttocks then. ''Rin,'' he chants when they are done, kissing him repeatedly, as if begging for a little more – some more of Rin.

The fact that the mermen have barely touched Rin despite otherwise making innuendos for doing so makes him inch closer and drape his weight on the other. ''You can touch just a little, then,'' Rin murmurs, giving in. Makoto responds by doing the same, and the kiss is shortly broken when Rin falls back against the sand with Makoto half-like atop him, lying between his spread legs, using his hands as advantage to hover his torso above him and not press down on him with all of his weight. His lower region and the sprout of his tail starting underneath his hipbones and v-cut are arching firmly there against the human's crotch.

Rin's upper body lies in the sand, getting dapped in small waves every now and then, and the rest is covered in water. Makoto is atop him, looking down at him. His features are soft and gentle looking – cheeks tanned with a few freckles speckled here and there, but he has a hungry look grazing his bright green eyes. Rin inhales sharply when the merman buries his face in the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply there as he and Sousuke have done many times before. This time, he continues doing so, and a moan bubbles from Rin's throat when Makoto arches against him. What surprises him is that he feels a bulge – not a definite shape, but just a very prominent bulge grind against him.

When Makoto looks up again, his pupils are slitted thin like those of a predator, and he leans up to kiss Rin again. Rin mouths his surprise in the action, it resulting an easy access for the other. His hands flail at first but find their way to Makoto's waist and down lower to grab along the bend of his back, pressing him down against himself for further friction.

A deep rumble sounds from Makoto's chest, and the noise cannot be ordinary given the depth, sounding guttural and definitely inhuman. It surprises the human, but intrigues him as well as a shiver runs down his spine and his lower back arches off the sand when something pleasant knots together in his stomach.

Makoto is harsher this time – with more biting and stronger actions, and he now supports himself above the other with an elbow pressed in the sand as his other hand huddles between their bodies. Rin bucks in his back again when he feels a palm graze his covered erection. Makoto's palm runs along the shape and outlines the contour with curious fingers. Rin moans into his mouth, and he thinks it has been so long since he has been intimate with anyone, but he has not felt this mesmerized before, as if being in a heated frenzy.

His body feels warm, and the temperature only seems to increase despite Makoto's skin being cool from the water.

Makoto has barely touched him properly yet, and Rin does not know why the actions come easy to him now all of sudden, but he knows what the tightening feeling in his gut means – as if his lower region is being draped in heat and wetness that comes from inside.

''Wait-,'' he mumbles against Makoto's lips, and he is surprised when the brunette growls – lips pulling back in a sensual snarl, holding him in place as he kisses him messily again. ''I said- I said just a little-'' Rin presses himself against the sand and flails a bit more. Although he wants more of it, he does not want to give in this easily, which he knows he will eventually do if it continues like this. ''Makoto,'' he half-hisses and half-whimpers, trying to push the other off weakly, not intentionally meaning it.

''I'm gonna-'' he tries, but his breath is caught off guard when the merman grinds against him again, putting more of the weight of his tail into it than previously. Rin shuts his eyes and lolls his head back, tipping his chin while baring his throat. Makoto nestles his head in the juncture of his shoulder again somewhat possessively, trailing kisses from the start of his throat to the underside of his chin.

Rin's hands fall down and he claws at the sand, his breathing pattern stuttering when a pleasant wave surges through him starting from his scalp to the bottom of his feet, coiling in the pit of his stomach. Makoto nibbles at the skin along his jawline, and the small puff noises coming from his mouth are low and deep, unlike his usually bubbly voice – but primal and still not entirely human.

When he arches into Rin again, along with his experimental touches, Rin's body shudders and his legs draw a bit up. He bites back a moan and climaxes somewhat silently, body stiff afterwards for a second or two as a different wave of exhaustion reaches him. His abdominal muscles flex and he breathes out shakily.

It is as if Makoto senses what happened, because he stops too and looks up, and his eyes are back to normal, pupils round and human-like, and so is his voice when he tilts his head, smiling kindly when he says: ''Rin, I love your voice.'' – As if he has not just dry-humped the redhead until he came in his pants.

Rin looks up at him through his slender eyelashes, mouth feeling dry. ''Do you have a bipolar personality disorder?''' he asks him, sounding somewhat humored, and the corner of Makoto's mouth curls up as he looks befuddled. ''What?''

''Never mind,'' Rin says, and he feels himself blushing because when he moves his legs a bit, he can evidently feel some other substance crawl along the inner fabric of his pants. He thinks that it must all have been a plan – to taunt him with intimate touches and offers, and then leave him be for a while until he will come crawling back. Sly bastards.

''Bravo,'' another voice chimes in, and Rin's blood goes cold.

He stiffly looks towards his left where the voice comes from, and sees Sousuke lying on his side from a little afar, resting his head in his palm with an elbow dug in the sand.

Makoto only but looks satisfied with his work as he grins softly. ''It worked,'' he says.

''For how long have you been here?'' Rin asks, and it is not that he is that shy nor uninviting of the thought of being touched by the other either, but fact remains that he had not known that Sousuke were there.

''From the start, actually. I was just swimming in the reef for five minutes, and when I came back you two were… all caught up, right?'' Sousuke looks ever smug, eyebrows lifted as he bares a kind smile that is not that very innocent, as he might like to believe.

''You fuckers…,'' Rin starts out, and he feels his cheeks heat up rapidly. Sousuke grins, although it falters when he in the next moment is overthrown as Rin surprisingly easily snakes out from being pinned underneath Makoto.

Sousuke yelps and Makoto laughs but looks worried when Rin tackles Sousuke and with newfound strength drags the merman out in the deeper water and holds his head underwater, well knowing it has no effect other than making the raven laugh more.

''Perverted piece of shit fish-'' Rin groans to the sky and his blush reaches his throat by now. Then, Rin stops, and he gives Makoto a sharp glance. Makoto yelps and his shoulders hunch up.

**''You knew.'' **Is all Rin says, and he lets go of Sousuke and wades towards Makoto.

Makoto looks as if he has seen death itself.

''Wait- wait- **Rin!**''

* * *

><p>After the entire ruckus and some thorough scolding from Rin, they finally swim underwater. Rin swims at front and is overjoyed to get down here again, eyes adjusting to the different and dimmer light as he floats around, doing his best to mimic the swish of a merman's tail to see if it will increase his speed.<p>

They have swum deep down and further out the ocean, and here Rin can inspect different corals and their varied coloring. He picks at some of them and giggles when it withdraws and reacts to his touch.

Sousuke and Makoto follow along and inspect his reactions, looking pleased with the smile upon his face.

''Do you like it?'' Makoto asks, as he had before, and Sousuke appears beside him, looking expectant and maybe even more excited than Rin feels himself.

''Yeah, it's- it's wonderful,'' he says and the embarrassment from before dwindles. He watches the way the mermen's tails smoothly move along with the current of the water, how beautiful they are – both their tails and their human-side as well, despite being two very different individuals.

''Are there other mermen or mermaids?'' Rin asks, and he eyes Sousuke as he floats above him, tail swirling behind him.

''Yeah, there are,'' Sousuke answers.

''Lots of them!'' the other bids in, and the both of them glance at Rin as if they know of a world he does not, which is not completely untrue either.

''It's kind of just like humans. We have small villages, as you like to call it -and bigger ones too. What you refer as a society we name as clans. Democracy and more than one person mostly rule our systems, but you will still find kingdoms here that are one-rulers,'' Makoto explains, and Sousuke nods.

''How many are there of you?'' Rin is suddenly very curious, gaze flickering from Sousuke to Makoto.

Sousuke grins. ''We're not as many merpeople as there are humans, despite having the most space for a large scale in that regard. We don't mate that easily, and we mostly have a life-long mate that we devote our trust and loyalty to.''

Rin looks confused about the last part, but Makoto bids in somewhat hastily:

''But some mate more – uh, easily – or variedly.''

The both of them share a quick glance that does not go unnoticed by Rin.

Sousuke continues. ''There are also different species of our kin depending on what area or continent one comes from. Subsequently, mermaids and men are divided in what work class they have – as well as in regards to what flow they can perform.''

The human only becomes more confused as they speak. ''Work class?'' he asks, and he remembers what they have said about flow. In human terms, they say it is perceived as magic.

''Our flow is what makes us what we are – in regards to what powers we can wield. Some can control bits of nature, some can control tensions, and some can control different attributes in impactful ways that makes it better than the average.''

''What flow do you have?'' Rin then asks, and Sousuke stops at this.

''We were originally in the Hunters´ work group – protecting the areas and maiming creatures for food. The flow we have is the ability to adjust our bodies, so to speak. Good sight, reflexes, hearing – strength and powerful tails. Hunters are originally known for looking like underwater predators.''

''They have more gills and oddities – such as fins sprouting from their sides, the spine and the place behind the jaw. Thing is that our bodies adjust, and since we live in a different environment now, our bodies draw back to what is the average look for a merman – for those living freely.''

Both Makoto and Sousuke alternatively explain, depending on what area they regard. They tell Rin that other attributes come along with it as well. Almost every merman/maid knows how to erase memories, although it can rarely be used and a simple act in that manner costs a lot of flow and experience. It is a rarely used method though, given the effects it may cause to the one performing the doing.

Rin hums and swims down to the bottom of the ocean floor, once more draping his hands in the soft sand that feels entirely different from when it is dry.

''Why don't you hunt anymore?'' Rin asks them, and at this, Makoto freezes next to him. Then, his tail smoothens out and he shrugs. ''It was a tough doing,'' he says quickly, and his eyes grant a strange, longing stare at Rin's long hair floating in the water. ''Sousuke got hurt at one point and that is where we drew back.''

Sousuke comes in at this point, but from having heard the conversation, his eyes look a little distant and he plucks at some of the corals, occasionally also at Makoto's tail, whereas Makoto smiles warmly back at him.

They swim closer and huddle together in such a natural manner it has Rin awe-struck – the way their tails fit together and they share a chaste kiss, followed by Makoto nuzzling his face in the crook of Sousuke's neck.

Subsequently, they draw apart and swim around Rin, regarding their attention to him again. Rin runs a hand through his hair, thinking of what might lead the conversation elsewhere than about hunting.

''What about lores – or, myths, you know? Legendary stuff?'' he asks, and even though he has many other questions he wants to ask, he refrains from prying in places where his nose does not belong.

''Myths?'' Makoto repeats, sounding amused.

He looks over at Sousuke, and Sousuke squints his eyes, thinking of something. ''There is something about a Loch ness monster going around, which belief we share with humans as well,'' he says, and Rin grins at this. ''Wow, really?'' he says, rolling his eyes.

''Humans are older than you, aren't they?'' he asks then, and the mermen look smug.

''Some of you originated from us, actually.''

''What?''

Makoto sways around him and lies on the bottom again, looking up at Rin. ''You've originated from apes as well, but that are those without a flow.''

This does not lessen Rin's confusion.

''Organisms originated from cells from the ocean in the first place. Before the apes´ further development took place, mermen were already taking shape underwater in the depths in a faster and more precise evolution. Around that time, they did not look as we did now and were more fish-like in every aspect. As time went on and the human race found place too, mermen mingled with them, yada yada…,'' Sousuke explains, making a whirl with his wrist.

''Mingled with them?'' Rin feels stupid, somehow, because in the span of the last ten minutes he has done nothing but repeated words and asked questions upon questions.

''You know there are different flows, right?''

''Yeah.''

''Some were good at adjusting their bodies, and some even developed human… legs, was it? Those things you walk with. They blend in with humans in disguise, to put it simply.''

Rin stares wide-eyed at them.

''And you know… all those love-stories of different species meeting one another – eventually leads to reproduction…,'' Makoto grins and Sousuke arches a brow. ''So the flow has been passed on in a mix between humans and mermen, causing birth of humans with the flow.''

Sousuke points at Rin. ''You're one of them with a merman for ancestor. Ever wondered why we could transfer our flow to you? Simple.'' He grins and swims through some seaweed.

''So…,''

''You're…. 1/900000 part merman. Congratulations,'' he says coyly, and Makoto gives his shoulder a jab.

''It explains how you know so much about humans, though…,'' Rin says, thinking of how many mermen or mermaids he must have met already, in case the full-blood ones still walk on land.

''As for myths, we have a few common ones around the continents. The most common myth is that, by miracle, identical beings are born. A merman and a human of same base mind will be born on the same time, one as a merman and one as a human being. Same as having a doppelganger,'' Makoto says.

He continues: ''there also goes a well-known story about the roles being reversed. Meaning that humans have been able to transform as well and mingle among merpeople.''

Sousuke swims in there, butting in. ''Another one is about sirens.''

Rin arches a brow.

''The truth is that sirens are actually mermaids – or in some cases, mermen, who have perfected their voice and specified their flow for that sake, giving them the ability to seduce humans with their voice alone. There have been some grim cases where sirens have eaten humans, which has shown in human history as well where some have escaped and their memories have not been erased.''

Makoto shudders at this and makes a face.

''The myth among merpeople here is that some are said to be able to seduce their own kin as well, and that they eat them too-''

''Sousuke!'' Makoto's lower lip is wobbling and Sousuke only but smirks.

Rin does not know what to believe.

* * *

><p>That night, Rin cannot sleep. He turns repeatedly in his bed but ends up sitting on his front porch outside, looking at the stars. Something had been a little off, he thinks. He runs a hand through his hair and regards his long locks, remembering the looks he had been granted earlier.<p> 


	5. More to come

Your reviews give me life, haha. Thank you for reading.

* * *

><p>Sometimes, Rin really wishes that the mermen would obtain a phone. Literally just anything that can mend the distance between them, because it is a long way for Rin to travel each time he has to visit. Not that he truly minds it, because it keeps him active from studying and he gets an eventful path to endure during jogging.<p>

''Have you ever heard of a phone?'' Rin asks one day as he comes out there to the shore. Two and a half months have passed now since they met for the first time, and the shoreline has slowly become his second home. There have been small flings between the mermen and him, both smaller sexual escapades but also bickering. Nothing too serious yet, though.

Sousuke grants him an incredulous stare. ''Technology…,'' he grumbles, making an exaggerated grimace to show his dismay.

Rin returns the glare and settles close to the shoreline, opening a heavy book as he settles to study. He has brought his schoolbag today because he has to endure a pre-test the day to come.

He aims to sit as far away from Sousuke as possible, because the raven is forever a jerk and if he gets the chance, he will splash water with his tail. He has done that before, Rin glumly recalls.

''Why do you study all the time?'' the merman asks, inching close while Rin as a contrast crabs backwards. He pouts at the redhead and crosses his arms, lying down on the sand with his tail dapped in the saltwater.

''If I want to make a living, I have to make my brain worth it,'' Rin absently answers, flicking to the next page, nose buried in the book. ''Don't think my mother would forgive me if I ended up as a hobo,'' he continues, as if speaking to himself.

Sousuke arches a brow. ''Hobo? What's that...,'' he traces a finger in the warm sand.

''Someone like you.''

The merman snorts. ''I can only assume it's a good thing then.''

''Yeah. I can't end up being as good a hobo as you. I'd ruin my imperfect image,'' Rin answers, smiling widely behind the book.

''Are you mocking me?''

''Wouldn't dream of it.''

Sousuke puffs his cheeks up, and the broody tinge he had from the beginning slowly subsides. Now he just looks like a kid who is not having it his way, pouting a little.

''Play with me,'' he says, ''Makoto had some other things to attend.''

Rin pretends to close the book and arches a brow at the other, giving him the desired attention. ''Since you're asking so nicely…,'

Sousuke looks hopeful and raises himself.

''Then no.'' Rin opens the book again and grins into the back of his hand when he hears Sousuke mourn in the background.

''I can't take a dip in the water and sashay my ass around the corals and live with just eating fish,'' he drawls, lopsided smirk perching on his lips.

''You make it sound so easy to be a merman,'' Sousuke mutters, but there is a gleeful tone somewhere in his voice.

''Isn't it easy? Being a merman?'' Rin asks.

''Wouldn't exactly say that…,'' the merman answers, looking thoughtful. ''Makoto and I are only taken off duty because of some certain circumstances.''

This grabs Rin's attention.

''Hmm, which is?''

''Play with me first, then I'll tell you.''

''Do I look like a child's entertainer to you?''

''Could've mistaken,'' Sousuke does one of those unctuous smiles that has a tingly feeling knotting together in Rin's stomach.

Rin tongues the inside of his cheek, considering the offer. ''Playing all mysterious, are we?'' he says, giving Sousuke a long stare.

''I want it my way,'' is the answer, and the raven crosses his arms again and lies down, looking up at Rin behind his onyx locks that have become scruffy and dry from the humid air.

Rin hunches his head back and makes a fake double chin. ''Gross,'' he says, even though he finds Sousuke's demeanor attractive, but Sousuke is kind of his frenemey or lover, and they always rouse each other into small debates. Sousuke is a tease and Rin has caught up on it.

However, he puts the book away and faces the merman despite his words.

''What do you want to play?'' he asks as nonchalantly as he can. Sousuke grins boyishly at him.

''Come here,'' Sousuke says.

Rin ignores him and makes a whirring motion with his hand, ''we could play fetch?''

''What.''

''You know, if I throw your passion across the ocean you should go get it and then I'll wait until you come back.''

Sousuke gives Rin a glare he could have sworn originated from Mean Girls.

''I liked it better when you were just grumpy, naïve and all flailing,'' he mutters and sticks his tongue out at the human.

Rin goes in for the kill and makes a scissor shape with his fingers to snip at Sousuke's tongue, but the moment he sees the change in Sousuke's eyes, he knows he should not have done it.

The merman grabs Rin by the wrist and draws him closer, dragging him into the water as if he has awaited this moment to come. They roll around in the sand and water and Rin is spluttering curse words while sousuke is grinning aloud.

When they are finished fake fighting, Rin is wet all over and his magenta hair clings to his cheeks as he breathes out heavily, looking up at the sky. Sousuke is leaning on him between his legs, and it reminds Rin of the time with Makoto. Dry humping and… coming in pants. A swirl of warmth settles somewhere in his gut and he tries to shake the thoughts off.

''Can't believe I have the decency to like the both of you equally as much,'' he notes in a mutter, a slight grin sounding in the undertone of his voice.

Sousuke tilts his head and looks too smug for wear. ''So you like us?''

Rin freezes. Sousuke is never going to let him down for this, he knows.

''No, that's- that's not what I meant,'' he quickly amends, because being in denial is not just something he sometimes is, but is almost a trait of his personality.

Sousuke almost purrs, looking satisfied with the answer. ''I think I've come to speak fluently Rin,'' he says, leaning down so that their nose tips are touching and Rin feels his cheeks flare.

''And what you say means that you are so in love with us.'' Sousuke's eyes are crinkling a bit from the smile that stretches on his lips, and he always has a nonchalant tinge to him that should be annoying but is rather attractive.

Rin makes a skewed pout and looks the other way, baring his sharp teeth in a groused huff. He yelps when Sousuke does a roll and switches their positions so that Rin is on top this time, straddling the merman, sitting just underneath his v-cut and his hipbones.

Sousuke is looking up at him somehow expectantly, still tilting his head a bit so his chin is butted up to show dominance. It is not like Makoto who was split between being all hungry hands and fond looks, but they give Rin the same feeling of belonging.

Sousuke's fingertips dance along Rin's biceps and pulls a little up in his shirt whose sleeves are already bunched up to the elbows.

''What do you want?'' Sousuke asks, and Rin is surprised by the question, not knowing what it refers to.

''I'm not going to force you to anything,'' he says softly when the human does not answer.

Rin blinks his eyes and he does know what he wants, and despite only having known Sousuke and Makoto for soon three months, he feels strangely attracted to them.

Therefore, this time, he leans down and their nose tips brush again. He feels timid looking into those unfaltering cyan eyes, so he shuts his eyes instead before closing the distance between them.

Kissing Sousuke like this is not going the way Rin had expected, because Sousuke is easy-going and careful. His large palm comes up and bunches around Rin's nape, dragging him a bit down to deepen the kiss. He runs his tongue along Rin's lower lip and softly asks for permission to go further, breaking the kiss shortly.

''You're surprised I'm not like Makoto?'' he asks firsts, smiling by how Rin gapes at him. ''Don't be fooled by his bubbly voice and sweet words. He's the one who gets rowdy and taught me the drill.''

Rin gulps and nods, quickly kissing him again, this time with more fever. Sousuke's palm is nice and comfortable on him, and his other hand lies on his hip to keep him in place, digging softly into the skin above the low-cut shorts.

Rin bucks in his back so that it curves finely, aligning their chests on the front – clothes against bare skin. He moans into the kiss when their tongues meet and slide against each other playfully, Sousuke sucking gently on the other's tongue tip before pulling away to look into the his eyes.

''Does it feel good?'' he asks and shifts a bit underneath Rin, canting his hips a bit so that a bulge presses against the underside of Rin's clothed thighs, letting him know that he is affected. Rin's breathe pattern hitches and he struggles to say yes. He nods instead because he feels riled up from such a simple gesture, welcoming the tension in his gut.

Sousuke is about to drag him down to kiss him again, but Rin shyly interrupts it with a croak coming from the back of his throat, trying to reason. ''I- could I-'' he feels a familiar heat run along his cheeks and down his throat, embracing the tips of his ears too.

Sousuke looks puzzled and raises his torso with an elbow dug in the sand. ''Can you what?'' he repeats in interest.

''See… your…'' Rin leans a little back and his adams apple bobs up and down from gulping nervously. ''You know…''

''My arousal?''

Rin flinches at this. ''Uh- yeah. Your arousal,'' he murmurs, eyes flickering alternately between Sousuke's face and his own hands splayed on the taut stomach.

''Go ahead,'' Sousuke says casually, and the lack of nervousness in his voice makes Rin jealous. He wishes he could be just as uncaring, but the mermen have still not seen his private parts yet despite having fondled him with their curious hands, both with direct contact and through his clothes.

Sousuke props himself fully up, almost as if to guide the other while Rin slides further down Sousuke's tremendous tail. ''It's normally sheathed so that there is no resistance when swimming underwater,'' he explains. ''We only draw it out by wish during mating or yeah, circumstances where it's needed.''

The gentleness he displays generally befuddles Rin, but he accepts it nonetheless and nods slowly.

''Could you… pull it out then?''

Sousuke grins at him. ''You're adorable,'' he says, and Rin gives him a whack on the shoulder.

Rin is curious to see how it goes about, but he keeps his glance elsewhere and on the water or something in the distance instead. No sound comes, but Sousuke suddenly says ''look.''

Rin holds his breath and finally looks down to peek. His brows arch in mild surprise and he sits like that for a long time, staring down. Sousuke says nothing, but he still has one hand on his hip, massaging him softly to keep it comfortable.

''How is it?'' he asks softly.

His arousal is not as inhuman as Rin had thought it would have been. Where a bulge or the sheathe used to be, his cock lies instead, unsheathed. It has a pink color to it and is far bigger than what Rin had expected, but it is not a bad sight. To some extent, it resembles that of a human, but the shape is overall different. It starts with the base and girth that is bigger than the humans are, but does not stay in the same shape and becomes slimmer, though still thick, in the end and then a little bigger again by the tip - cockhead struck flat to resemble a small surface that has a slit in the middle.

Overall, what surprises Rin the most is that the size resembles that of a runaway porn star.

Sousuke chuckles at the dumbfounded expression on the human's face. ''Scary?'' he prompts, and Rin snaps out of his daze. ''No- no it's just… **big**…,'' he mutters.

Sousuke wiggles his eyebrows, ''Want to touch?'' and Rin flusters and makes a grumpy expression.

Rin wants to surprise the other or at least wipe the smug expression on his face off, so he, rather sturdily, grabs the base of his cock and gives it a gentle squeeze. In response, Sousuke's shoulders hunch a little up and the chuckle he was about to make dies in his throat. Rin smirks.

Sousuke's cock feels different from his own, but it still has a soft and warm texture that feels nice under his palms. It is a little harder than a human's is in the structure, but more slick and smooth.

Rin becomes more experimental and eases himself down, suddenly interested in his newfound discovery. He tries with different kinds of pressure depending on what part he is touching, and outlines the shape with curious fingers. Sousuke has grown quiet and is not as noisy as Makoto had been with the dry humping, but the look in his eyes is a little dazed, but nonetheless just as appealing to Rin.

When Rin swipes his thumb over the cockhead and thumbs the slit, Sousuke's neck does a slight spasm and his eyes close, mouth doing a pretty o shape as he shakily breathes out. ''Feels good,'' he says, almost so softly that Rin misses it. The body language put on display makes something warm squirm in Rin's stomach as he raises himself and crawls down on his knees, bucking in his back as he hovers his lips above Sousuke's cock.

Sousuke must not have expected this, because his eyes open in a whisk - flutters open when Rin sticks his tongue out and presses it against the slit. The merman's eyes are not round and dilated anymore, but slit like Makoto's had been, attentive like a predator.

Rin swallows nervously and wraps his lips around the tip, sucking softly. It draws a soft and surprisingly light moan from the other, hips canting up to meet his mouth.

The human hums softly when fingers tangle in his wet hair and card through it softly, fingers massaging him behind his ears around the sensitive skin that makes his neck hair stand on end. In response, he opens his mouth as much as he can and takes in what he can manage, tongue swirling along the underside. There are no apparent veins, but only smaller grooves carved in a line on the underside. He is far from taking in all of the length, but manages to make it halfway, drool sliding down his chin.

It makes a squelching noise when he comes back again to the tip, and it should make him fluster, but it only deepens the want to appeal Sousuke.

He does it again, this time until the tip hits the back of his throat and Sousuke moans above him, sounding out of breath.

It is not long until Sousuke is bucking into his mouth eagerly. They create a comfortable rhythm. Rin knows that the merman is close when the fingers in his hair tightens their grip and the thrusting becomes less structured and more erratic. ''Rin-'' Sousuke says, and it is the last thing before something warm slides down Rin's throat and coats the inside of his mouth.

Rin is surprised by the suddenness, and Sousuke must be too, because he looks horror-stricken when the redhead coughs and withdraws himself. He only swallows half of the cum but sticks his tongue out and runs a fingertip there, looking at the result, as if inspecting it thoroughly.

''I'm sorry-'' Sousuke tries, but Rin shushes him.

''Tastes the same,'' Rin mutters to himself and licks his lower lip, looking confused.

''Why're you looking at me as if I slaughtered a household?'' he continues when Sousuke just stares at him.

''But I just-''

''I'm not inexperienced, you know…,'' Rin says dryly, and there might be some details he is yet to mention.

''You're either a natural talent or very experienced, I assume,'' the color returns to Sousuke's face and he looks interested.

Rin purses his lips and looks proud of his doing.

''You're kind of a little bit like Makoto, you know… with the sexual... façade…yeah,'' and he still looks a little blown away by the show the other has put on display.

Rin hears a bubbly giggle in the background that definitely does not belong to Sousuke.

He knows what he is going to have for dinner tonight, at least. Grilled fish, maybe.

* * *

><p>Sometimes, Rin realizes how much time he spends with the mermen after class or in his free time when he should be cooking, paying bills or adult things. He should get a job to continue living like this so that he does not live on his foster parents money all of his life.<p>

It shows when Nitori comes up to him today during lectures and notes his absence, or lack of activities in the school. Rin used to be very active when it comes to club events and things alike, although he had always taken interest in going fishing or swimming at the sea on his own.

''Yeah?'' Rin answers, packing his schoolbooks slowly. He halts midway and considers it. ''Yeah...,'' he repeats, more knowing.

''Why's that?'' Momotarou bids in, snaking an arm around Nitori who automatically rolls his eyes by the entrance of the other student. ''We never hang out anymore,'' he continues. Then, his eyes gain a hooded look and he jitters excitedly where he stands. ''Maybe…,'' he lets go of Nitori and closes in on Rin, pursing his lips – ''you got a girlfriend?'', and Nitori makes a grimace in the background, because he knows that Rin does not swing that way. Momotarou does not know that, though.

Rin is about to say yes, he is in fact dating someone, but reality dawns upon. He is homosexual. He is apparently into **mermen**. He strikes the polyamory category now, maybe the pansexual one too, and wow, things cannot not get any spicier than that.

'Well, I happen to date two species that are not of the human race right now, mind you' he considers saying, but he keeps his mouth shut and his friends wonder is he has gone on standby.

''Doesn't matter,'' he says with a croak and clears his throat. ''Been a little busy, that is all.''

When he comes home, he sits on his bed and palms his face, groaning loudly into his hands. Dating mermen sure as hell is not going to pay the bills, he thinks, and the distance is an agony itself. However, he has been falling asleep on his bed with a smile more than often now, and he knows he is already excited to get out on the shoreline again to greet those kinky bastards.

He finishes his studies for the next couple of weeks so he knows he will not be stressed by the end of the week. Sometimes, he wonders what it would be like if Makoto and Sousuke were humans and could live with him.

* * *

><p>He takes a jog in the evening and decides to pass by the mermen. Which does not equal a little 'Hey-I-Just-Ran-Past-The-Place-And-Decided-To-Greet-You' meeting, because he has to run through what resembles a jungle and the distance might as well kill him ever so slowly.<p>

When he arrives, the sun is slowly going down in the horizon, but it is still very light and comfortable to linger around. The stars are yet to protrude on the sky and there are varied colors to admire instead.

He stops jogging and stands there to admire the view before calling Sousuke and Makoto out. However, no one comes, even though he waits for what seems like ages. He treads closer to the shoreline and looks around, befuddled by the lack of their presence. They usually come after a few minutes, but all he can hear is the lulling noise of the water licking up the beach.

He walks along the shoreline back and forth, waiting. Nothing happens.

''All right then…,'' he mutters to himself and aims to turn around, but the moment he does, he barges into what feels like a brick wall and falls onto his bum in the soft sand. ''Shit-' he snaps in the haze before the impact reaches him.

Adrenaline pumps in his veins and his sight is sent twisting for a second or two until he looks up. Nudity – and the lower region of a man meet him.

He screams loudly and crabs backwards, his heart doing somersaults in his chest. He sends out a prayer to whoever is listening when a hand clamps around his mouth from behind, quieting him. ''Rin!'' he hears, and it is Makoto's voice that fills his ears. ''It's us!'' it comes again, and when Rin looks over his shoulder, he sees Makoto's dopey eyes.

However, Makoto is crouching behind him – and it should not be possible unless he had legs. Which he…. Happens to have.

Rin's eyes flicker to the man whom he barged into, and when he looks up, Sousuke smiling smugly at him meets him.

He has legs.

And he body and lower region of a porn star too.

''Holy shit- what-'' Rin cannot seem to find the right words, and Makoto helps him up by hooking his hands underneath his armpits. Rin feels weak in his knees and can barely stand on his own, glare sent flickering alternatively between the two handsome men.

''What the fuck is going on-'' he starts out, and his knees buckle again and Makoto yelps, holding him up.

''Wha the- I- you- **legs?**'' his voice becomes slurred and his breathing is uncontrollable. ''I think-'' his vision is becoming dark, ''I think I-'' and he sees Sousuke's face expression turn worried.

''Don't do this again Rin,'' he says but Rin is a lost cause and he faints in Makoto's arms.


End file.
